Can BetterDisplay apply dark or inverted colors to the whole desktop?

Yes. Use image adjustments for basic dimming and color changes, or Self-Stream + Video Filters for effects such as Invert Colors. These transform the displayed image. They change all image content, including photos and video. They do not give each app its own dark theme.

For bright white areas, first try the display’s Image Adjustments menu. Software brightness, contrast and gain can change the intensity and tonal balance without applying full image inversion. Gain requires Pro. The available adjustments depend on the processing method. These adjustments affect more than white backgrounds. Compare text, photos and video. The Image Adjustments reference explains each effect.

Open the display’s streaming menu and choose Self-Stream + Video Filters. Adjust the filters for the effect you want. Inversion also changes photos and video, while effects that emphasize edges can make text harder to read. Start with a simple adjustment and compare ordinary text, images and moving content before combining several effects.

For self-streaming, Use Compositor Filter provides a processing path that filters the content behind the overlay without the ordinary screen-capture stream. It is also available for a Video Filter Window. The capture path and compositor path have different options. Compositor filtering does not expose Target FPS or HDR Filter Pipeline. Both methods can use additional system resources.

These filtering features require Pro. Ordinary capture needs Screen Recording permission. Compositor filtering avoids that capture path. See Video Filters and Stream Transformations for the available adjustments and filter automation for saved changes through the CLI.

Bright images may still appear during locking, wake or other transitions. Set a comfortable hardware brightness level as well, and test those transitions if avoiding bright flashes matters to you.